Note this blog is written specifically for questions to a low-bono attorney but could apply to other types of attorneys.
Do you charge for initial consultation and what is the rate?
This is helpful for you to be aware of before scheduling the consult and then being surprised by any charges.
Do you offer a sliding scale hourly rate?
Many times in the low-bono community attorneys will vary their hourly rate based on your income. You may also want to ask what the highest and lowest ends of the sliding scale for their hourly rate.
Are you able to perform a basic review of my documents with some comments, while I write the documents?
Some attorneys prefer to write all of the documents for you. However, some might be willing to review documents you have already written and provide some basic comments. Usually, I will provide a few different hourly options for review ranging from about an hour of work to a more comprehensive 4-5 hours. Other low-bono attorneys might be willing to do the same for a review of documents and providing comments.
How frequently do you bill and is this schedule flexible?
This could be helpful to try to sync up the attorney’s billing with your payment schedule. Some attorneys in the low-bono community, myself included, are very flexible when it comes to billing. I might take payments on a monthly basis or more frequently, yet I am open to considering what timing would work best for the client.
What services do you offer with a flat-fee payment type model?
This could be a really great option for clients who need a lot of assistance and a lot of work done. A flat fee would not be that helpful for unbundled services. However, it could be really helpful if you need a probate or uncontested divorce to be handled completely by an attorney. This rate will often include all email communications and meetings. I say uncontested divorce because it would be probably too challenging for most practitioners to give a flat rate for a very litigious divorce.
Do you offer payment plans?
Many attorneys in the low-bono community will offer payment plans.
Do you require an advance fee deposit and is this flexible?
There are some attorneys who still use the advance fee deposit in the low-bono community. It is, of course, incredibly common and probably the norm for attorneys outside of the low-bono community. Yet, I, myself, and other practitioners often do not use the advance fee deposit. This could save you from having to come up with thousands of dollars up front. If you haven’t read any of the other blogs on this site, a brief description of an advance fee deposit is as follows: the attorney asks for $5,000 up front, from which they will subtract your bills from. Once this is to a certain point, they may ask for a replenishment of the account. Advance fee deposits are often confused with the term retainer.
Author:
Jordan Kostelyk
Attorney
everlastinglegalsolutions.com